Sword of the Enigma
by Stefynae
Summary: *CHAPTERS THREE AND FOUR ARE UP!* This is just a temorary title. It's the sequel to Eye of the Enigma, but it can probably be read alone. I'm quite fond of Orion and in this story her character really grows. PLEASE R&R!
1. Visions of Past and Future

NOTE:  Once again, none of J.K.'s original characters belong to me, duh.  But Orion belongs to me...and her parents.  They are mine (tm).  Muwahaha.  Enjoy!             

CHAPTER ONE

VISIONS OF PAST AND FUTURE

                "Orion, be a dear and check on the bread."  Orion Avery swept gracefully to her mother's oven.  The kitchen was warm and inviting.  The smell of pumpkin bread filled her nostrils as light streamed through the oval window that occupied the space above the kitchen sink.  Orion opened the oven door to gaze at the loaf.

                "Almost ready, mother," she said with a loving smile.

"Wonderful.  Do ye mind goin' to get yer father from the livin' room?"

"Of course not," the girl replied as she kissed her mother on the forehead and exited the kitchen.  The house was just as comforting and inviting as it had always been.  The drapes were pulled back from every window to let the evening sun shine in to light the otherwise dark halls of her family's home.  Orion floated to the living room where her father sat as he always had.  His spectacles were barely helping him read his paper, as they were slipping off his dominant and proud nose.  His eyes hardly looked as though they were open.  He seemed tired and old.

"Dad?  Mum says that dinner is ready."  There was a cough and a mumble as Mr. Gerald Avery cleared his throat and looked up at his daughter.  He set his paper down and rearranged his glasses.  Then he stood up and held Orion's face in his hands.

"You grow more beautiful every time I look at you," he complimented.  Orion blushed.

"Oh Dad--" He kissed her on both cheeks and then headed off to the kitchen.  His daughter hung back and started pacing around the room, remembering.  The mantle was lined with pictures of her and her parents, along with almost every available space on the walls.  The people in the picture in the center of the mantle waved and smiled at her as she picked it up to examine it more closely.  How she longed to be that young girl in the photograph--so innocent, so fragile, so carefree--

A terrifying scream pierced the woman's ears.  The framed picture fell from her hands and shattered into a million pieces.  She turned to run to her dying mother, but her legs refused to move.  She could hear more screams and her father--once so proud and strong--begging for his life.  Another voice came to her--a shrill and horrifying sound.  It was a voice that struck terror into the hearts of everyone whom it approaches-a voice she thought she destroyed.  

Her legs finally broke free of their frozen position and she fled to the kitchen.  A blinding green light flashed before her eyes and her parents fell to the floor.  Orion screamed, but not a sound escaped her lips.  A figure clothed in black stood above her deceased parents, and, sensing her presence, turned on her.  The woman tried to scream once more, but this time she found that in place of her mouth, there was nothing but the same skin that covered the rest of her body.  The figure that stood before her now was not human.  In fact, it was nothing but a black cloak and a face.  But not a face familiar to any creature.  Where its eyes should have resided there were deep, dark tunnels.  Its skin, or what should have been skin, was pulled so far back onto the rest of the head that the dark blue veins that traveled beneath it could be seen with terrifying accuracy.  There was no evidence of a nose, or even ears.  But it was the mouth that made the creature not a creature at all.  The hole that occupied the bottom half of the head hung open like a door that needed desperately to be shut.  There were no lips, or teeth.  Not even a tongue, or at least nothing of that could be seen.  It was mesmerizing and horrible at the same time.  It didn't even move as the voice spoke to Orion.

"Now it is your turn."  The figure raised its hand and another flash of vibrant green light shot out from the wand it was holding.

Professor Avery shot up from her bed.  Sweat and tears poured down her face.  Her breathing came at irregular intervals, and blood escaped her bottom lip where she had bit down so hard during her nightmare.  Orion sat uncomfortably under her covers, looking around her bedroom at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.  The drapes were drawn, letting the moonlight cast its eerie glow into her room.  One window stood ever so slightly open, allowing the cool night's breeze to ruffle the curtains and send a chill down the woman's spine.  She climbed out of her safe bed and strode over to the window.  The stars were hidden from her view that night, as the storm clouds rolled in.  After shutting the pane she proceeded to pace around the room, stopping at her fireplace mantle.  There stood the same picture that was in her dreams--or rather, nightmares.  The same terrifying images that came to her almost every night now.  Her head throbbed, as did her chest; where a small scar intruded upon her breast, just above her heart, which so wished for the happy days that shined in the little girl's face.  Cursing her own foolish wishes, Orion strode out of the room, determined to get a good night's rest-even if it meant breaking into the infirmary for some miracle sleeping potion.

***

It was July at Hogwarts, and therefore the only ones staying at the school were the Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, the Caretaker Argus Filch, and Dumbledore's Goddaughter, Orion Avery.  Hagrid, the school's keeper of keys and grounds and Care of Magical Creatures professor, was sent on another one of Dumbledore's secret missions.  The castle seemed much larger when there were so few people occupying it.  It was menacing and almost frightening when walking around during the night, despite the safety it provided from the creatures outside its walls.  The people in the pictures rested peacefully, and the staircases ceased their movements, as there were no students to confuse.  Thunder could be heard in the distance, the air felt heavy and moist, and as the woman looked through a window at the forest, the backs of the leaves could be seen--a sure sign of a coming storm.

Orion wandered the halls of the sixth floor, longing for someone to talk to about her dreams.  Dumbledore would have sufficed, if only he were not so concerned.  She hoped Hagrid would return soon, he was an exceptionally good listener, and wouldn't press her about getting more help.  The woman aimlessly headed toward what she thought was the infirmary, but instead found that when she regained a conscious for where she was, had stumbled into the dungeons.  Like a magnet, she was pulled to a door that stood half hidden from the normal wandering eye.  To the prying eye, however, it stuck out like a sore thumb.  Orion had seen this side of the door but twice before, and a large lump formed in her throat as she registered it as Severus Snape's chamber door.  

Orion turned to leave, but a voice inside her head caught her attention.  "_Come on, old girl, why not have a look around?  For Merlin's sake, you've already been in his bed!"  _Knowing full well that she would live to regret it, Orion pushed open the heavy oak door.


	2. Familiar Yet Not

CHAPTER TWO

FAMILIAR YET NOT

The room had not changed in the slightest since the last time she was there.  It was still extraordinarily clean and organized.  Nothing was out of place--even the bed sheets themselves were perfectly distanced from the floor.  A smile graced Orion's tired face as she stood and gazed around the room.  She still had no idea why she was in there, but decided that while she was, she might as well look around.  Not knowing what she was searching for, or if she was even searching for anything, Orion started opening drawers and flipping through books.  When she was satisfied that her shuffling had been completely wasted, she headed toward the door.  

                "OUCH!" she shrieked as her shin caught a large wooden chest that sat against the wall behind the door.  Rubbing her leg as if it would ease the pain, Orion knelt down.  The box seemed to be charmed, or cursed--booby-trapped, in any case.  The woman waved a hand over the chest, and all hexes that prevented it from being opened disappeared.  It seemed Orion had finally found something worth searching through.  

The lock disintegrated with one touch of the woman's hand.  Upon opening the lid, Orion discovered a far less organized portion of the room.  Papers were scattered everywhere.  She picked one up and it looked like some sort of experiment.  No doubt an experiment worth concealing.  Digging deeper into the chest Orion found old photographs, much like the one she placed on her mantle.  She picked up a rather small and tattered one, and in it sat Severus, with his mother, father, and brother?  She always thought Snape was an only child; it explained his stubborn and selfish attitude.  It was quite an old picture; the Potions master looked hardly older than eleven.  He still retained the shoulder length hair, though it was less greasy and combed back behind his ears.  His mother had the same jet-black hair, and his father contained the deep black eyes that always put a spell on Orion whenever she looked into them.  His brother was obviously the eldest child.  He was taller and had golden brown hair like his father.  He looked like an athlete with his broad shoulders and muscular arms.  No doubt a Quidditch player.  Snape looked happy in the photograph, as did his entire family.  They all smiled as Orion studied their faces.  

Just then the door flew open.  She dropped the picture back into the chest and shut it with a tremendous force.  Half expecting to see Mr. Filch standing in the doorway, Orion leapt to her feet--and let out a very regretful moan as she stared into the dark eyes of Severus Snape.

***

                "Severus, I...um," she fumbled for words as the Potions master raised a very curious and disapproving eyebrow at her.  Not waiting for her to collect her thoughts, he swept passed her, throwing his luggage on his bed and sitting down at his desk.  Orion saw that his cloak was wet just as a flash of lightning lit up the room.  His hair was pushed back from his face, which was pale and soaked with rain.  His appearance hadn't changed since the time they last saw each other, and yet she couldn't help get the feeling that he was different.  When she didn't leave, or speak, or even move, Snape turned around.

"Landed yourself in quite the predicament, eh Miss Avery?"  A devilish grin began to take form on his lips. 

"I couldn't sleep...I don't even know how I ended up here," she paused as he let out a small laugh.

                "It's hard to imagine a woman with a great mind such as yourself would lose sight of where she was going."  Orion failed to comprehend as to whether or not his statement should've been taken as a compliment.  His eyes gleamed with laughter; she had landed herself in a seemingly easy situation to get out of, but had failed to do so.

"I...I'm sorry.  I have no explanation."  Severus got up and strode into his office.  Orion hated it when he left without telling her where he was going.  She was never sure whether to follow him or not.  She decided to stay where she was and proceeded to twiddle her thumbs and stare absent-mindedly at the ceiling.  In less than a minute he was back in the room, holding a vial filled with a dark violet liquid.  He approached her, and when Orion failed to notice his return, he cleared his throat rather loudly.

"This will help you sleep."  The woman took the bottle, but instead of leaving, as Severus had implied, she sat on his bed to watch him work.  

"Why have you returned so early?" Orion asked after staring at his hands for an eternity.  They stopped moving, but he didn't turn to face her.

"Dumbledore's request."  Avery looked down at the potion that had been given to her.  He was so difficult sometimes, but she felt like she had to know.  Had to know about the young man that stood next to him in the old photograph.

"I never knew you had a brother."  This time the quill dropped from the man's hand, dripping ink all over his parchment.  He glanced over to the chest, then turned back to his parchment and said in a menacing tone,

"That is because I choose to refrain from exploiting his existence."  Orion rolled her eyes at his large vocabulary.

"Why?"

"Because it is NOT anyone's CONCERN!"   He swiveled in his seat and Orion saw the same fire in his eyes that was there when Sirius and her had come back to the school the previous year.  She tried to hold the stare, but lost, and returned to fiddling with her vial.  Not wanting to cause another outburst, she stood up and walked over to him.  

"You know, I've lost love ones too.  I know what it's like.  If you ever feel like talking about it--"she said as she put a hand on his shoulder.  Without taking his attention off of his work, he said, 

"I assure you Miss Avery, if I have not talked about it with anyone yet, I highly doubt I would start now."  The words cut through Orion like her own sword.

"Fine.  But you don't have to be such a bastard about it.  Here, here's your damned vial back.  I'm so sorry to disturb you, Professor," she popped off the top to the bottle and swallowed the potion in one gulp.  Severus leapt from his chair, knocking it to the ground.

"NO! You're not supposed to drink it here!"

"Why n--" Too late.  The woman fell into his arms, dead asleep.  The man sighed with annoyance, then placed her into his own bed.  The situation seemed all too familiar.  He floated over to one of the chairs in front of his fireplace and tried to make it suitable for sleeping.  When he realized his efforts were wasted, he threw his arms and legs out and hung his head and closed his eyes, attempting to rest.  The mess of ink and parchment would wait to be cleaned up, which was very unlikely of the Potions master.  But then again, when in the presence of an Enigma, a wizard can do very strange things.


	3. Waking Up

Waking Up

When Orion awoke it was still dark out.  She reached for her watch on the nightstand, but the table was gone.  She sat up, with watery, droopy eyes, and realized she wasn't in her room.  Then she saw him sleeping, or trying to do so, in the chair by the fireplace.  She guessed it was about six, so that would give him three hour's time to rest before breakfast.  Avery pulled herself out of the warm, safe bed, and went to the chair.  Severus was still wearing his cloak and robes.  His hair was matted to his head, as he had been tossing and turning ever since he was forced into such a position.  She brushed his hair back behind his ear, and gasped as his arm flew up and grabbed her wrist.  She should have seen that coming.  The man was incapable of human contact, so when some poor soul even so much as brushed passed him in the hall, he would know, and they would pay dearly for it.  

                "Something I could help you with, Miss Avery?  Would you like me to fluff your pillow?  Read you a story?  Perhaps I could get you some warm milk to help you sleep?"  She yanked her wrist from his strong grasp.

                "I was just going to offer the bed to you.  You have three hours until breakfast," she replied as she made her way to the door.  "Oh and Professor," Severus turned his aching head toward her, "Thank you for the most wonderful night's sleep I've had in months."  

Severus Snape dragged himself out of the chair.  His back screamed with pain, as did his neck.  He climbed into his bed, still warm from where Orion lay.  He cursed his own sarcasm and prayed that the rest of the day would be less harsh to him.

***

Three and a half hours later Orion and Albus were finishing their breakfast when Severus came slugging in, his step lacking its usual grace.  

"Severus!  Nice of you to join us," smirked the Headmaster, "Come, have a seat."  Straying from his normal seat at the end of the table, the professor was forced to take a seat by Orion, where a large platter had appeared with his breakfast on it.  The woman had her feet propped up on the table, and looked very refreshed.  He wanted to strangle her.  

Orion watched Snape trudge to the chair next to her.  She couldn't help but laugh when she saw the dried up drool on the corners of his mouth.

                "Sleep well, Professor?"

                "No, but if it wasn't for you I would have."

                "You never told me I had to _drink it in my own bed," she whispered to him.  "How was I supposed to know it was that potent?"  The man gave her a fierce look, and Albus, who was listening with a hidden amusement, spoke up._

                "Please children, do try to get along."  With that both Orion and Severus shot him a fierce, and very adult-like, look.  He laughed.  Just then a very exotic looking hawk flew into the Great Hall.  It landed on the woman's propped up leg.  

"Hallo Skye," she said as she pulled the small piece of parchment from his leg.  Skye was an Australian Seahawk.  He had dark colorings and a six-foot wingspan.  Three solitary feathers stuck out from the top of his proud head and he had claws like razors.  But the most unique thing about the bird was the way the feathers laid right beneath his left wing--they formed a star.  That was the main reason Hagrid had bought him for Orion--that, and he claimed the animal looked like her.  Or rather, _resembled her powerful existence.  Avery unrolled the parchment to read:_

_Dear Orion,_

_                Thank you for your letter, it was nice to hear from you.  Things are going fairly well here.  I talked to Aimee Pearla (the woman who Draco told me to go to).  She's really amazing, and I'm so glad I found her.  I finally got a trial and the opening arguments start next Thursday.  To be honest, this is all happening really fast, but I'm glad its happening.  I apologize for the short letter, but I need to run out and get Harry a birthday present.  I'll write again after the trial starts.  Give my regards to the rest of the staff...well, maybe not Snape.  _

_Best  wishes,_

_Sirius Black_

                "Well.  It seems as though Sirius has finally found himself."  Orion showed the letter to her Godfather, who suppressed a laugh after reading the last sentence.  

"What has the traitor got himself into now?" Severus asked.  Obviously not because he cared at all about Black, but because he didn't much appreciate being left out of the conversation.

"Sirius has got himself a trial next week," Orion answered, looking into his eyes for the first time since last night.  He looked so tired.  Skye squawked.  "Sorry, old boy.  Everything's already been cleaned up."  The bird picked menacingly at her hand, then flew off and out of the hall.  

"Leave it to Hagrid to pick out the ugliest bird in the world," Snape said when Skye was out of earshot.

"Shut up.  You're the ugly one."  The two people looked at each other and laughed at their childish remarks.  Dumbledore excused himself, leaving the two professors alone in the Great Hall.

"I'm sorry about last night," Severus said.

"I'm sorry also."  There was a moment of silence before Orion spoke again.  "So how was your summer?"

"Fine, just fine.  Quite enjoyable without the pesky inhabitants of this castle."

"Oh come on, we're not all that bad," she smiled.  The man played with the hems of his robes.  "Did you go on any great adventures?"  He looked up, a bit startled by her question.

"No.  None as great as yours anyway."  Was it a compliment?

"Well, mine have definitely diminished in greatness.  They're all the same.  Bad guys, dark places.  A wave of my hand or sword and bam, I'm off again."  Orion got up from the table and went to the window to peer at the morning sun.  Hagrid was walking to his hut, obviously having completed whatever Albus had asked of him.  He saw the women and gave a giant smile and a hearty wave.  Orion returned the gesture.  Then she turned back to Severus.

"Let's take a walk."  The professor leapt from his chair and with robes billowing behind both of them, they walked out of the hall.


	4. Another Visit

Another Visit

"So why haven't you been sleeping well?" Severus asked as he walked her to her chambers.

"I've been having the same nightmare over and over again for the last few months.  At first they occurred once every other week or so, but now they come almost every night."

"What are you seeing?"  Orion explained her visions to him.  He listened intently as she described every detail.  When she was finished, he asked, "Do you think it's some sort of warning?"

"I don't know.  If it is, how would my parents be involved?  They've been dead for thirty-five years."  They stopped at Orion's door.

"Their meaning will come in time.  For now, if you feel you need more of my sleeping potion, don't hesitate to ask."  Avery thanked him.  She went into her room and shut the door.

***

That night there was a knock on the Potions master's door.  It was close to midnight, and after reluctantly inviting the intruder in and receiving no answer, he got up and swung his door open.  Orion, half standing, half leaning against the wall, had streaks running down her face--dried tears.  Her hair was a mess and her pupils were dilated.  Something was very wrong.

                "Sev, I need to (hic) talk to you."  She pushed her way inside.

                "What's the matter with you?"

                "Nothing (hic) is wrong with me.  I just thought that (hic) we could (hic) have a little....chat."  She smiled as she swayed back and forth on his rug.  The man took hold of her shoulders just in time to stop her from falling.   

                "Thank you," she breathed in his face.  Her breath reeked of something he was unfamiliar with.  Then he saw it--tucked inside her robes was a bottle of Jack Daniel's.  She was drunk.

                "Orion, have you been drinking?"  Her eyes glazed over and she hiccupped once more.

                "Heavens no man, I've just been talking with my friend, Jack," she pulled the bottle from her robes and took another swig, "and he said that I should come and talk to _you," she took her index finger and jabbed it into the man's chest.  Severus rolled his eyes and took the bottle from her._

                "Where did you get this?"

                "A liquor store, where do you bloody think I got it?"  She staggered once more, and fell into the man's arms.  "Kiss me," she whispered to him.

                "What?  No.  Orion, you are drunk.  Go upstairs and go to bed."  The woman's eyes narrowed.

                "I am not (hic) drunk.  I know perfectly well where I am, who I am, and (hic) what I am doing."  She grabbed his head and pressed her lips against his.  Severus tried to pull away, but the woman just held on tighter.  Despite the alcohol on her tongue, he couldn't help but eventually give in to her kiss.  But when she started to fumble with his robes, he pushed her away.

                "Orion, you don't want to do this.  Not now, not with me."

                "Yes I do."  They stood, looking into each other's eyes--Avery's tired and dilated, Snape's mysterious and calm.  This time the woman came out victorious in the staring contest.  Severus turned away.

                "Please leave.  Go to bed."  Orion hung her head.

                "Severus?"  He turned to her.  She was such a mess.  "I think...I'm going...to pass out now."  She fell.  He barely caught her before her head hit the floor.  He placed her in his bed once again, but before he could head to the chair, a hand came up and held his wrist.

                "I don't want you to sleep in that chair."

                "And where do you suggest I sleep instead?"

                "Here.  With me."

                "Orion, I don't think that is such a good idea."

                "Please," she pleaded, "I'm tired of being alone."  He sighed.  He shared the same feeling.  He took off his robes and slipped into bed next to her.  Orion slid her arm across his chest and pushed herself up against him.  His eyes widened and his heartbeat quickened.  The woman let out a heavy sigh and drifted off to sleep.

Severus woke up several hours later.  Orion still slept soundly as he lifted her arm from his chest and got out of bed.  He was pulling his robes on when he heard her stir.  

                "Good morning."

                Indeed it was.  It was the best night of sleep she had ever had.  She felt warm and safe.  But as Orion's eyes started to focus, she realized she wasn't in her room.  When she heard the man's voice, she shot up from the bed.  That's when her head seemed to explode.  She let out a long and painful moan.  Her face ended up in her hands.  '_What happened last night?  Where am I?' she thought as she raised her head.  Severus Snape was looking at her with that damned eyebrow raised.  _

                "Oh no," she shook her head.  She looked around the Potion master's room, her eyes stopping on the table.  There stood the liquor bottle she had sipped on last night in her own chambers.  She looked down.  Thank Merlin her clothes were still on.  The man laughed at her.

                "Please, child.  Don't think so low of me."

                "Not you...me.  Oh my head."  The man came over to her and pushed back her hair.  Her eyes seemed to be back to normal, but she was sweating.  She looked almost feverish.  He got up and went to his office.  Orion sat in his bed, trying to remember what had happened after she left her room the previous night.  She hoped she hadn't done anything foolish.  Severus returned, this time with a vial filled with a bright orange liquid.  He handed it to her, and she looked reluctantly at him.

                "Relax, you can drink this here.  It's for your hangover."

                "So that's what these bloody things are called."  She drank the liquid and the color immediately returned to her face.  "Thank Heavens for the Potions master."  She smiled at him.  He left her side and she got out of bed. "Severus?  I want to apologize for any of my actions that may have made you uncomfortable last night."  He glided closer to her.

                "You don't remember what happened?"  Orion's eyes widened a bit.

                "I kissed you, didn't I?  I can see it in your eyes."

                "Why do you look so worried?  Nothing happened.  I am not the type of man who would take advantage of a drunken woman."  Her eyes were still wide.  It was as though he could read her mind.  "Has this happened before?"  The woman turned away.  "Orion," he spun her around, "tell me."  She pulled away from him and sat down on the bed.  

                "A couple of years ago, I was out with a friend of mine.  We thought it would be fun to go to a Muggle bar.  We didn't plan on getting drunk, but it happened nevertheless.  It was late, and this muggle guy offered us a ride home.  He was nice enough, but I said I wanted to walk back.  I tried to convince my friend to come with me, but she said no.  Instead of taking her home, he took her back to his place," she paused to wipe the tears from her eyes, "A month later she found out she was pregnant."  Severus looked down at his feet.  "Three months after that," he looked up again, "she tripped over a rug and fell down her stairs--and lost the baby."  The man uncomfortably placed a hand on her shoulder.         

                "Is your friend all right?"

                "I don't know," she whispered.  She raised the liquor bottle off the table with her hand and smashed it against the wall.  Snape jumped.  "Alcohol is the devil--worse than any poison in the wizarding world.  Muggles are so dumb in thinking that this stuff is _good."  She got up and waved her hand over the mess and it disappeared.  "Sorry," she said as she grabbed her robes and walked to the door.  She stopped before opening it.  "Severus?"_

                "Hmm?"

                "The kiss.  Did you like it?"  He loved it.

                "Yes."  She smiled satisfactorily and opened the door. Avery exited the room, and Severus let out a sigh.  It had been the best night's sleep he'd had...ever.


End file.
